Vaporizer



Nov. 21, 1944. .J. B. SCHMITT VAPORIZER Filed April' 5, 1943 2Sheets$heet l R M w T m c .T ml w W J Nov. 21, 1944. J. B. SCHMITTV'APORIZER Filed April 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jo7. Ja/7277177 ATTORNEY permits the vaporizer to be Patented Nov. 21, 1944VAPORIZER Joy B.- Schmitt, Toled De Vilbiss Company,

tion of Ohio 0, Ohio, asslgnor to The Toledo, Ohio, a corpora-Application April 5, 1943, Serial No. 481,944

6 Claims.

This invention relates to Vaporizers and particularly to the typeutilizingan electric heater to form steam for vaporizing and conveyingsuch medicine to a person being treated. The most common use for suchVaporizers is to volatilize tincture of benzoin for inhalation bypersons" suffering from a respiratory infection. They may also be usedfor the diffusion of ther materials such as deodorants anddisinfectants. In some circumstances where steam alone may beeffective,-such Vaporizers are used without any medicinal or otheradditional substance.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a vaporizerwhich is comparatively safe to use. Another object is to provide avaporizer which does not become heated to an extent where it cannot bemoved by hand. Still another object is the provision of a heater meansin such a vaporizer which will stand up under operation for a longperiod. Another object is the provision of a vaporizer which is simplein design and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention in its preferred form has other objects and advantageswhich may be noted on reading the following description and referring tothe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the vaporizer;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing thecontainer for the medicated material to be vaporized and the handleportion of the vaporizer lid;

Fig. 3 is a p plan view of the vaporizer;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of the contacting surfaces of thevaporizer receptacle and the supporting shell taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the heater assembly; and

Fig. 6 shows the terminal eyelets by which the electric wire supplyingthe current is fastened to the heater assembly.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the receptacle for the waterwhich is heated to create the steam. 2 is the supporting and insulatingshell for the receptacle l. The air space 3 between the receptacle I andthe support 2 keeps the shell from becoming overheated and therebyhandled comfortably when it is desired to move it duringits operation.

The receptacle lid 4 has an inverted cup portion 5. Cotton is ordinarilysupported in cup 5 by contact with the walls. This cotton is saturatedwith tincture of benzoin or any other material which it is desired toarising from the water heats the medicament and vaporize. The steamcarries the vapors from it through the annular lid cavity 6 to thedischarge port I. This may be directed toward the person receiving thetreatment. In order to prevent condensation in the discharge passage 1it is madeas short as possible, in efl'ect being an outlet port from theenlarged passage or chamber 8 withinthe lid 4.

The heater assembly is supported within and through the bottom of thereceptacle. It has a protecting cap 9 made of nonconducting materialsuch as a phenol formaldehyde plastic. I prefer to use a similar plasticas the composition for the receptacle lid and supporting shell becauseit is a poor conductor of heat as well as of electricity. Also a plasticmaterial is desirable as it is much less breakable than glass.

The cap 9 is threadedly engaged to abrass rod Ill. Below the cap 9 onthe rod I0 is a brass lock nut II and washer I2. The carbon electrode l3receives electricity through its adjoining contact with the washer I2which the electricity reaches through the nut II and rod I0, from theterminal M on the end of one of the strands l5 of the electrical cable IB.

The terminal I4 has contact with the rod l0 through the brass washers l1and the nut 22. The other carbon electrode I8 is connected with theterminal I9 on the other strand I 5 of the cable 06 through the metalferrule 20 molded'into the bottom wall of receptacle l. A rubber sleeve28 extending over rod Ill insulates it from the carbon electrode I8 andthe ferrule 20.

To space the terminals l4 and I9 there is placed between them a largeinsulating washer 23. A porcelain ring member 24 is positioned on therod it and over the rubber tubing 2| between the carbon electrodes I3and. I8. The flow of electrical current through the water between theelectrodes brings the water to a boiling temperature. The nuts I I and22 hold the various parts of the heater assembly together. Theinsulating plug 25 has shoulder 26 bearing against the edge of a hole 2!in a base cover 28 which is held against a downwardly facing shoulder onthe lower end of the shell 2. The plug 25 therefore, through itsconnection with the receptacle I and its thrust against the shell 2,acts to hold the outwardly extending flange at the top of receptacle Idown against the top edge of shell 2. R0- tary movement between thereceptacle I and shell 2 is prevented through a tongue and grooveengagement 29 shown in Fig. 4. Several of these complementary tonguesand grooves may be spaced about the periphery of the receptacle.

The nozzle portion of the lid has a raised rearward extension 30 whichmay serve as a handle.

When it is desired to use my vaporizer, the medicament is put on cottonin cup 5 as previously described and water is placed in the receptacle luntil it is about two-thirds full. The

electrical cable I6 is attached to an electrical source. Within a fewminutes the water in the receptacle I will be heated to a point wheresteam is formed. The steam will heat the medicament and carry vaporsfrom it through the discharge port 1. When the water level falls belowthe carbon electrode Hi the electric current is automaticallyinterrupted and the heating operation discontinued until'additionalwater is put into the receptacle. While the electrical supply cableshould of course be disconnected, in case it is not, the danger of shockthrough a contact with the carbon electrode is reduced by guard cap 9.This intervenes between a hand, spoon or other utensil which may beinserted into the receptacle l and parts of the heater which carryelectrical current.

It has been found that the position of one electrode over another keepstheir surfaces and the surface of the insulating member between them,much cleaner than when electrodes are spaced horizontally. This may bedue to rising bubbles of steam that pass up along the surfaces of thespacer and the electrodes.

While I have described a preferred form of my invention, it will beapparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in thefollowing claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire by U. S Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to beformed into steam, a downwardly facing shoulder along the upper edge ofthe receptacle; a cylindrical shell surrounding and spaced throughoutits full length except at its upper end from the receptacle with itsupper edge supporting the shoulder, and means connecting the bottom ofthe receptacle with the lower portion of the shell to hold the shoulderof the receptacle against the upper edge of the shell and. thereceptacle and shell in assembled relation.

2. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle, an outwardly extendingshoulder along the upper edge of the receptacle, an insulating shellsurrounding the receptacle and supporting it through contact with theshoulder, a downwardly facing annular surface along the lower edge ofthe shell, and fastening means holding the shell and receptacle inassembled relation through a positive connection with the bottom of thereceptacle and engagement with the downwardly facing annular surface onthe shell.

3. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to beformed into steam, a heater assembly within the receptacle, a rodsupporting the heater assembly extending through the bottom of thereceptacle, a flaring guard mounted on the inner end of the rod, spacedcarbon electrodes of ring form, mounted one'above the other below theguard on the rod, the rod actupper edge which supports the receptaclethrough contacting its downwardly facing shoulder, a skirt on the shellextending below the bottom of the receptacle, a downwardly facingannular shoulder around the inner side of the skirt, a flat circularmember with its peripheral border thrust against the annular shoulder ofthe skirt, and connecting means pulling the center of the disc towardthe bottom of the receptacle to hold the receptacle, shell and disc inassembled relation.

5. In an electric steam vaporizer, a cylindrical supporting shell withits diameter converging slightly to an opening at its top, a cylindricalreceptacle for the water to be formed into steam with its diameterflaring slightly upwardly but smaller throughout than the diameter ofthe shell so that the receptacle may be positioned within the shell, anoutwardly extending flange around the top of the receptacle supportingthe receptacle by fitting over the upper end of the shell a roundedcover for the receptacle, a downwardly facing annular shoulder on thecover fitting over the upper edge of the receptacle, the outer surfaceof the cover forming a smooth continuous contour with the exterior edgeof the receptacle flange and the surface of the shell below the flange,and an air space between the receptacle and the shell to insulate thelatter from the heat of the former, said space being formed between therelatively and downwardly diverging walls of the receptacle and theshell.

6. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to beformed into steam, a rounded cover for the receptacle, a flat toppedridge with parallel sides gradually rising in height as it passes acrossthe cover and ending in an abrupt vertical shoulder, a laterallydirected steam discharge port near the top of said shoulder, a chamberwithin the shoulder end of the ridge forming a communicating passagebetween the receptacle and the discharge port, and means beneath thesolid center portion of the ridge to prevent steam from passing overthat under portion of the lid to reduce the amount of heat reaching theridge so that it may better be used forahandle.

JOY B. SCHMITT.

